Category: 1 Chronicles

1 Now Satan rose up against Israel, and he incited David so that he would number Israel.

2 And David said to Joab and to the leaders of the people: “Go, and number Israel, from Beersheba even to Dan. And bring me the number, so that I may know it.”

3 And Joab responded: “May the Lord increase his people a hundred times more than they are. But, my lord the king, are they not all your servants? Why would my lord seek this thing, which may be imputed as a sin to Israel?”

4 But the word of the king prevailed instead. And Joab went away, and he traveled around, through all of Israel. And he returned to Jerusalem.

5 And he gave to David the number of those whom he had surveyed. And the entire number of Israel was found to be one million and one hundred thousand men who could draw the sword; but from Judah, there were four hundred and seventy thousand men of war.

6 But Levi and Benjamin he did not number. For Joab executed the orders of the king unwillingly.

7 Then God was displeased with what had been ordered, and so he struck Israel.

8 And David said to God: “I have sinned exceedingly in doing this. I beg you take away the iniquity of your servant. For I have acted unwisely.”

9 And the Lord spoke to Gad, the seer of David, saying:

10 “Go, and speak to David, and tell him: Thus says the Lord: I give to you the option of three things. Choose the one that you will want, and I will do it to you.”

11 And when Gad had gone to David, he said to him: “Thus says the Lord: Choose what you will want:

12 Either three years of famine, or three months for you to flee from your enemies, unable to escape from their sword, or three days for the sword of the Lord and a pestilence to turn within the land, with the Angel of the Lord killing in every part of Israel. Now therefore, see what I should respond to him who sent me.”

13 And David said to Gad: “There are difficulties pressing upon me from every side. But it is better for me to fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercies are many, than into the hands of men.”

14 Therefore, the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel. And there fell from Israel seventy thousand men.

15 Also, he sent an Angel to Jerusalem, so that he might strike it. And while he was striking, the Lord saw and took pity over the magnitude of the harm. And he commanded the Angel who was striking: “It is enough. Now let your hand cease.” And the Angel of the Lord was standing beside the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

16 And David, lifting up his eyes, saw the Angel of the Lord, standing between heaven and earth with a drawn sword in his hand, turned toward Jerusalem. And both he and those greater by birth, being clothed in haircloth, fell prone upon the ground.

17 And David said to God: “Am I not the one who ordered that the people be numbered? It is I who sinned; it is I who did evil. This flock, what does it deserve? O Lord my God, I beg you to let your hand be turned against me and against the house of my father. But let not your people be struck down.”

18 Then the Angel of the Lord instructed Gad to tell David that he should ascend and build an altar to the Lord God on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.

19 Therefore, David ascended, in accord with the word of Gad, which he had spoken to him in the name of the Lord.

20 Now when Ornan had looked up and seen the Angel, he and his four sons hid themselves. For at that time, he was threshing wheat upon the floor.

21 Then, as David was approaching Ornan, Ornan saw him, and he went out from the threshing floor to meet him. And he reverenced him prone on the ground.

22 And David said to him: “Give this place of your threshing floor to me, so that I may build an altar to the Lord upon it. And you shall accept from me as much money as it is worth, so that the plague may cease from the people.”

23 But Ornan said to David: “Take it, and may my lord the king do whatever pleases him. Moreover, I give the oxen also as a holocaust, and the plow for wood, and the wheat for a sacrifice. I will offer all freely.”

24 And king David said to him: “By no means shall it be so. Instead, I will give money to you, as much as it is worth. For I must not take it from you, and thereby offer to the Lord holocausts that cost nothing.”

25 Therefore, David gave Ornan, for the place, the very just weight of six hundred shekels of gold.

26 And he built an altar to the Lord there. And he offered holocausts and peace offerings, and he called upon the Lord. And he heeded him by sending fire from heaven upon the altar of the holocaust.

27 And the Lord instructed the Angel, and he turned his sword back into its sheath.

28 Then, seeing that the Lord had heeded him at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, David immediately immolated victims there.

29 But the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses had made in the desert, and the altar of holocausts, were at that time on the high place of Gibeon.

30 And David was unable to go to the altar, so that he might pray to God there. For he had been struck with an exceedingly great fear, seeing the sword of the Angel of the Lord.

1 And David said, “This is the house of God, and this is the altar for the holocaust of Israel.”

2 And he instructed them to gather all the new converts from the land of Israel. And from these he appointed stoneworkers, to hew stones and to polish them, so that he might build the house of God.

3 Also, David prepared very much iron to use for the nails of the gates, and for the seams and joints, as well as an immeasurable weight of brass.

4 Also, the cedar trees, which the Sidonians and Tyrians had transported to David, were not able to be counted.

5 And David said: “My son Solomon is a young and tender boy. But the house that I desire to be built to the Lord ought to be so great that it is renowned in every region. Therefore, I will prepare what will be necessary for him.” And for this reason, before his death, he prepared all the expenses.

6 And he called for Solomon, his son. And he instructed him to build a house to the Lord, the God of Israel.

7 And David said to Solomon: “My son, it was my will that I build a house to the name of the Lord my God.

8 But the word of the Lord came to me, saying: ‘You have shed much blood, and you have battled in many wars. You are not able to build a house to my name, so great was the shedding of blood before me.

9 The son who shall be born to you will be a very quiet man. For I will cause him to have rest from all his enemies on every side. And for this reason, he shall be called Peaceful. And I will grant peace and tranquility to Israel during all his days.

10 He shall build a house to my name. And he shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel unto eternity.’

11 Now then, my son, may the Lord be with you, and may you prosper and build a house to the Lord your God, just as he has spoken concerning you.

12 Also, may the Lord give you prudence and understanding, so that you may be able to rule Israel and to guard the law of the Lord your God.

13 For then you will be able to advance, if you keep the commandments and judgments that the Lord instructed Moses to teach to Israel. Be strengthened and act manfully. You should not fear, and you should not dread.

14 Behold, in my poverty I have prepared the expenses for the house of the Lord: one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one million of talents of silver. Yet truly, there is no measuring the brass and the iron. For their magnitude is beyond numbering. And I have prepared the timber and the stones for the entire project.

15 Also, you have very many artisans: stoneworkers, and builders of walls, and craftsmen of wood, and those most prudent in doing the work of every art,

16 with gold and silver, and with brass and iron, of which there is no number. Therefore, rise up and act. And the Lord will be with you.”

17 Also, David instructed all the leaders of Israel, so that they would assist his son Solomon,

18 saying: “You discern that the Lord your God is with you, and that he has given you rest on all sides, and that he has delivered all your enemies into your hands, and that the land has been subdued before the Lord and before his people.

19 Therefore, offer your hearts and your souls, so that you seek the Lord your God. And rise up and build a sanctuary to the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and the vessels consecrated to the Lord, may be brought into the house that is built to the name of the Lord.”

1 Then David, being old and full of days, appointed his son Solomon as king over Israel.

2 And he gathered together all the leaders of Israel, with the priests as well as the Levites.

3 And the Levites were numbered from the age of thirty years and upward. And there were found thirty-eight thousand men.

4 Of these, twenty-four thousand were chosen and distributed to the ministry of the house of the Lord. Then six thousand were overseers and judges.

5 Moreover, four thousand were porters. And the same number were the singers of psalms to the Lord, with the musical instruments which he had made for the music.

6 And David distributed them into courses according to the sons of Levi, specifically, Gershom, and Kohath, and Merari.

7 The sons of Gershom: Ladan and Shimei.

8 The sons of Ladan: the leader Jahiel, and Zetham, and Joel, three.

9 The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, and Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the leaders of the families of Ladan.

10 Then the sons of Shimei: Jahath, and Zizah, and Jeush, and Beriah. These were the sons of Shimei, four.

11 Now Jahath was first, Zizah second, but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, and for this reason they were reckoned as one family and one house.

12 The sons of Kohath: Amram and Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel, four.

13 The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Now Aaron was separated so that he might minister in the Holy of Holies, he and his sons forever, and so that he might burn incense to the Lord, according to his rite, and so that he might bless his name in perpetuity.

14 The sons of Moses, the man of God, were also numbered in the tribe of Levi.

15 The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer.

16 The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the first.

17 Now the sons of Eliezer were Rehabiah the first. And there were no other sons for Eliezer. But the sons of Rehabiah were multiplied exceedingly.

18 The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the first.

19 The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

20 The sons of Uzziel: Micah the first, Isshiah the second.

21 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish.

22 Then Eleazar died, and had no sons, but only daughters. And so the sons of Kish, their brothers, married them.

23 The sons of Mushi: Mahli, and Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

24 These are the sons of Levi, in their kindred and families, leaders in turns, and the number of each of the heads who were doing the works of the ministry of the house of the Lord, from twenty years of age and upward.

25 For David said: “The Lord, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people, and a habitation in Jerusalem even unto eternity.

26 Neither shall it be the office of the Levites any more to carry the tabernacle with all its equipment for use in the ministry.”

27 Also, according to the last precepts of David, the sons of Levi shall be counted by number from twenty years of age and upward.

28 And they shall be under the hand of the sons of Aaron, in the care of the house of the Lord, in the vestibule, and in the chambers, and in the place of purification, and in the sanctuary, and in all the works of the ministry of the temple of the Lord.

29 But the priests shall be over the bread of the presence, and the sacrifice of fine wheat flour, and the unleavened cakes, and the frying pan, and the roasting, and over every weight and measure.

30 Yet truly, the Levites shall stand to confess and to sing to the Lord, in the morning, and similarly in the evening,

31 as much in the oblation of the holocausts of the Lord, as in the Sabbaths and new moons and other solemnities, according to the number and ceremonies for each and every matter, perpetually before the Lord.

32 And let them keep the observances of the tabernacle of the covenant, and the rituals of the sanctuary, and the observance of the sons of Aaron, their brothers, so that they may minister in the house of the Lord.

1 Now these were the divisions of the sons of Aaron. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar.

2 But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and without children. And so Eleazar and Ithamar exercised the priestly office.

3 And David distributed them, that is, Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their courses and ministry.

4 And there were found many more of the sons of Eleazar among the leading men, than of the sons of Ithamar. Therefore, he divided them so that there were, of the sons of Eleazar, sixteen leaders by their families, and of the sons of Ithamar eight by their families and houses.

5 Then he divided among them, in both families, by lot. For there were leaders of the sanctuary and leaders of God, as much from the sons of Eleazar as from the sons of Ithamar.

6 And the scribe Shemaiah, the son of Nethanel, a Levite, wrote these down before the king and the leaders, with Zadok, the priest, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, and also the leaders of the priestly and Levitical families. And there was one house, which was preeminent over the others, that of Eleazar; and there was another house, which had the others under it, that of Ithamar.

7 Now the first lot went forth to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah,

8 the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim,

9 the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin,

10 the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah,

11 the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah,

12 the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim,

13 the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab,

14 the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer,

15 the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez,

16 the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel,

17 the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul,

18 the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah.

19 These were their courses according to their ministries, so that they would enter into the house of the Lord in accord with their practice, under the hand of Aaron, their father, just as the Lord, the God of Israel, had instructed.

20 Now of the sons of Levi who were remaining, there were Shubael, from the sons of Amram, and Jehdeiah, from the sons of Shubael.

21 Also, there were Isshiah, the leader from the sons of Rehabiah,

22 and truly Shelomoth, the son of Izhar, and Jahath, the son of Shelomoth,

23 and his son, Jeriah the first, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth.

24 The son of Uzziel was Micah. The son of Micah was Shamir.

25 The brother of Micah was Isshiah. And the son of Isshiah was Zechariah.

26 The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. The son of Uzziah was Beno.

27 Also, the son of Merari: Uzziah, and Shoham, and Zaccur, and Hebri.

28 In addition, the son of Mahli was Eleazar, who had no children.

29 Truly, the son of Kish was Jerahmeel.

30 The sons of Mushi were Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of Levi according to the houses of their families.

31 And they also cast lots concerning their brothers, the sons of Aaron, before David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the leaders of the priestly and Levitical families, as much concerning the elder as the younger. The lot divided all things equitably.

1 Then David and the magistrates of the army set apart, for the ministry, the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps and psalteries and cymbals, in accord with their number, having been dedicated to their appointed office.

2 From the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asharelah, the sons of Asaph, under the hand of Asaph, prophesying beside the king.

3 Then of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, and Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hand of their father Jeduthun, who was prophesying with stringed instruments, while confessing and praising the Lord.

4 Also, of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, and Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.

5 All these were the sons of Heman, the seer of the king in the words of God, in order to lift up the horn. And God gave to Heman fourteen sons and three daughters.

6 All these, under their father’s hand, were distributed in order to sing in the temple of the Lord, with cymbals and psalteries and harps, in the ministry of the house of the Lord beside the king, specifically, Asaph, and Jeduthun, and Heman.

7 Now the number of these, with their brothers, who were instructing in the song of the Lord, all the teachers, were two hundred eighty-eight.

8 And they cast lots in their turns, the elder equally with the younger, the learned together with the unlearned.

9 And the first lot went forth to Joseph, who was of Asaph; the second went forth to Gedaliah, to him and his sons and his brothers, twelve.

10 The third went to Zaccur, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

11 The fourth went to Izri, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

12 The fifth went to Nethaniah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

13 The sixth went to Bukkiah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

14 The seventh went to Jesharelah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

15 The eighth went to Jeshaiah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

16 The ninth went to Mattaniah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

17 The tenth went to Shimei, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

18 The eleventh went to Azarel, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

19 The twelfth went to Hashabiah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

20 The thirteenth went to Shubael, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

21 The fourteenth went to Mattithiah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

22 The fifteenth went to Jeremoth, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

23 The sixteenth went to Hananiah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

24 The seventeenth went to Joshbekashah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

25 The eighteenth went to Hanani, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

26 The nineteenth went to Mallothi, to his sons and his brothers, twelve.

27 The twentieth went to Eliathah, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

28 The twenty-first went to Hothir, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

29 The twenty-second went to Giddalti, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

30 The twenty-third went to Mahazioth, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

31 The twenty-fourth went to Romamtiezer, to his sons and brothers, twelve.

1 Now the divisions of the porters were, from the Korahites: Meshelemiah, the son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph.

2 The sons of Meshelemiah: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth,

3 Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh.

4 Then the sons of Obededom: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth,

5 Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth. For the Lord had blessed him.

6 Now to his son Shemaiah, there were born sons, rulers of their families. For they were very strong men.

7 Then the sons of Shemaiah were Othni, and Rephael, and Obed, Elzabad and his brothers, very strong men, as well as Elihu and Semachiah.

8 All these were from the sons of Obededom: they and their sons and brothers, very fit for the ministry, sixty-two from Obededom.

9 Then there were the sons of Meshelemiah and their brothers, very robust men, eighteen.

10 Now, from Hosah, that is, from the sons of Merari: Shimri the leader, for he had not had a firstborn son, and so, because of this, his father had appointed him as the leader,

11 Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth. All these, the sons and brothers of Hosah, were thirteen.

12 These were distributed as porters, so that the leaders of the posts, as well as their brothers, were ministering continually in the house of the Lord.

13 Then they cast lots equally, for both the small and the great, by their families, concerning each one of the gates.

14 And the lot of the east fell out to Shelemiah. But to his son Zechariah, a very prudent and learned man, the northern section was obtained by lot.

15 Truly, Obededom and his sons obtained that to the south, in the part of the house where the council of elders was.

16 Shuppim and Hosah obtained that toward the west, beside the gate that leads to the way of the ascent, one post facing the other.

17 Truly, toward the east there were six Levites, and toward the north there were four per day, and then toward the south similarly there were four each day. And where the council was, there were two and two.

18 Also, in the cells of the porters toward the west, there were four along the way, and two at every cell.

19 These are the divisions of the porters of the sons of Kohath and of Merari.

20 Now Ahijah was over the treasuries of the house of God, and the holy vessels.

21 The sons of Ladan, sons of Gershon: from Ladan, leaders of the families of Ladan and of Gershon: Jehieli.

22 The sons of Jehieli: Zetham and Joel; his brothers were over the treasuries of the house of the Lord,

23 with the Amramites, and Izharites, and Hebronites, and Uzzielites.

24 Now, Shebuel, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was in the first place over the treasuries,

25 along with his brothers, Eliezer, and his son Rehabiah, and his son Jeshaiah, and his son Joram, and also his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth.

26 The same Shelomoth and his brothers were over the treasuries of the holy things, which king David sanctified, with the leaders of the families, and the tribunes, and the centurions, and the commanders of the army.

27 These things were from the wars and from the best spoils of the battles, which they had consecrated for the repair and the furnishing of the temple of the Lord.

28 Now all these things were sanctified by Samuel, the seer, and by Saul, the son of Kish, and by Abner, the son of Ner, and by Joab, the son of Zeruiah. All those who had sanctified these were under the hand of Shelomoth and his brothers.

29 Yet truly, Chenaniah and his sons were over the Izharites, for the exterior works concerning Israel, in order to teach and to judge them.

30 Now from the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred very strong men, were in charge of Israel across the Jordan toward the west, in all the works of the Lord, and in the ministry of the king.

31 And the leader of the Hebronites was Jerijah, according to their families and kindred. In the fortieth year of the reign of David, they were numbered, and there were found very strong men in Jazer Gilead.

32 And his brothers of a mature age were two thousand seven hundred leaders of families. Then king David placed them in charge of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the one half tribe of Manasseh, in all of the ministries of God and of the king.

1 Now the sons of Israel, according to their number, the leaders of the families, the tribunes, and the centurions, and the chiefs, who were ministering to the king by their companies, entering and departing in each month of the year as they were in charge, were twenty-four thousand.

2 Jashobeam, the son of Zabdiel, was in charge of the first company in the first month; and under him were twenty-four thousand.

3 He was from the sons of Perez, and he was the leader of all the other leaders in the army, in the first month.

4 The company of the second month had Dodai, an Ahohite; and after him there was another, named Mikloth, who ruled over a portion of the army of the twenty-four thousand.

5 Also, the commander of the third company, in the third month, was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest; and in his division there were twenty-four thousand.

6 The same is the Benaiah who was strongest among the thirty, and was above the thirty. But his son, Ammizabad, was in charge of his company.

7 The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel, the brother of Joab, and his son Zebadiah after him; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

8 The fifth leader, for the fifth month, was Shamhuth, an Izrahite; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

9 The sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira, the son of Ikkesh, a Tekoite; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

10 The seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez, a Pelonite from the sons of Ephraim; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

11 The eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai, a Hushathite from the stock of the Zerahites; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

12 The ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer, an Anathothite from the sons of Benjamin; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

13 The tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai, and he was a Netophathite from the stock of the Zerahites; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

14 The eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah, a Pirathonite from the sons of Ephraim; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

15 The twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai, a Netophathite from the stock of Othniel; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

16 Now those who were first over the tribes of Israel were these: over the Reubenites, Eliezer, the son of Zichri, was the ruler; over the Simeonites, Shephatiah, the son of Maacah, was the ruler;

17 over the Levites, Hashabiah, the son of Kemuel; over the Aaronites, Zadok;

18 over Judah, Elihu, the brother of David; over Issachar, Omri, the son of Michael;

19 over the Zebulunites, Ishmaiah, the son of Obadiah; over the Naphtalites, Jeremoth, the son of Azriel;

20 over the sons of Ephraim, Hoshea, the son of Azaziah; over the one half tribe of Manasseh, Joel, the son of Pedaiah;

21 and over the one half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo, the son of Zechariah; then over Benjamin, Jaasiel, the son of Abner;

22 yet truly, Azarel, the son of Jeroham, was over Dan. These were the leaders of the sons of Israel.

23 But David was not willing to number them from twenty years old and under. For the Lord had said that he would multiply Israel like the stars of heaven.

24 Joab, the son of Zeruiah, had begun to number, but he did not finish. For because of this, wrath had fallen upon Israel. And therefore the number of those who had been counted was not related in the official records of king David.

25 Now over the storerooms of the king was Azmaveth, the son of Adiel. But Jonathan, the son of Uzziah, was over those storerooms that were in the cities, and in the villages, and in the towers.

26 And over the farmlands and the farmers, those who worked the ground, was Ezri, the son of Chelub.

27 And over the cultivators of vineyards was Shimei, a Ramathite; then over the wine cellars was Zabdi, an Aphonite.

28 Now over the olive groves and the fig groves, which were in the plains, was Baal-hanan, a Gederite; and over the oil cellars was Joash.

29 Now over the herds that were pastured in Sharon, Shitrai, a Sharonite, was in the first place; and over the oxen in the valleys, there was Shaphat, the son of Adlai.

30 Truly, over the camels was Obil, an Ishmaelite; and over the donkeys was Jehdeiah, a Meronothite.

31 And over the sheep was Jaziz, a Hagarene. All these were leaders over the substance of king David.

32 Now Jonathan, the uncle of David, was a counselor, a prudent and scholarly man; he and Jehiel, the son of Hachmoni, were with the sons of the king.

33 Now Ahithophel was the counselor of the king; and Hushai, the Archite, was the king’s friend.

34 After Ahithophel was Jehoiada, the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar. But the leader of the army of the king was Joab.

1 And so David called together all the leaders of Israel, the rulers of the tribes, and those in charge of the companies, who were ministering to the king, and also the tribunes and centurions, and those in charge of the substance and possessions of the king, and his sons, with the eunuchs and the powerful and those most experienced in the army, at Jerusalem.

2 And when the king had risen up and was standing, he said: “Listen to me, my brothers and my people. I thought that I would build a house, in which the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the footstool of our God, might rest. And so I prepared everything for its building.

3 But God said to me: ‘You shall not build a house to my name, because you are a man of war, and have shed blood.’

4 Now the Lord God of Israel chose me, out of the entire house of my father, so that I would be king over Israel forever. For from Judah he chose leaders; then from the house of Judah he chose the house of my father; and from the sons of my father, it pleased him to choose me as king over all of Israel.

5 Then too, among my sons (for the Lord has given me many sons) he chose Solomon my son, so that he would sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord, over Israel.

6 And he said to me: ‘Solomon your son shall build my house and my courts. For I have chosen him to be to me as a son, and I will be to him as a father.

7 And I will make firm his kingdom, even unto eternity, if he will persevere in doing my precepts and judgments, as also today.’

8 Now therefore, before the entire assembly of Israel, in the hearing of our God, keep and seek all the commandments of the Lord our God, so that you may possess the good land, and may bequeath it to your sons after you, even forever.

9 And as for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and a willing mind. For the Lord searches all hearts, and understands the thoughts of all minds. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you abandon him, he will cast you aside for eternity.

10 Now therefore, since the Lord has chosen you, so that you would build the house of the Sanctuary, be strengthened and accomplish it.”

11 Then David gave to his son Solomon a description of the portico, and the temple, and the storerooms, and the upper floor, and the innermost rooms, and the house of propitiation,

12 and indeed also of all the courts that he had planned, and the outer rooms on all sides, for the treasuries of the house of the Lord, and for the treasuries of the holy things,

13 and for the divisions of the priests and the Levites: concerning all the works of the house of the Lord and all the items in the ministry of the temple of the Lord.

14 There was gold by weight for every vessel of the ministry, and also silver by weight for the diversity of vessels and equipment.

15 Then too, he distributed gold for the lampstands and their lamps, according to the measure of each of the lampstands with their lamps. Similarly also, he distributed silver by weight for the silver lampstands with their lamps, according to the diversity of their measure.

16 Also, he gave gold for the tables of the presence, according to the diversity of the tables; similarly too, he gave silver for the other tables of silver.

17 Also, he distributed from the purest gold for the small hooks and the bowls and the censors, as well as for the little lions of gold, in accord with the precise measure of the weight, for lion after lion. Similarly too, for the lions of silver, he set aside a different weight of silver.

18 Then, for the altar on which the incense was burned, he gave the purest gold. And from the same he made the likeness of the chariot of the Cherubim, with extended wings, which is veiling the ark of the covenant of the Lord.

19 “All these things,” he said, “came to me written by the hand of the Lord, so that I would understand all the works of the pattern.”

20 David also said to his son Solomon: “Act manfully, and be strengthened, and carry it out. You should not be afraid, and you should not be dismayed. For the Lord my God will be with you, and he will not send you away, nor will he abandon you, until you have perfected the entire work of the ministry of the house of the Lord.

21 Behold, the divisions of the priests and the Levites, for every ministry of the house of the Lord, are standing before you. And they have been prepared, and so they know, both the leaders and the people, how to carry out all your precepts.”

1 And king David spoke to the entire assembly: “My son Solomon, the one God has chosen, is still a tender boy. And yet the work is great, for a habitation is being prepared, not for man, but for God.

2 Now with all my ability, I have prepared the expenses for the house of my God: gold for items of gold, and silver for those of silver, brass for those of brass, iron for those of iron, and wood for those of wood, and stones of onyx, and stones like alabaster, and stones of diverse colors, and every kind of precious stone, and marble from Paros in great abundance.

3 And in addition to these things that I have offered into the house of my God, I give, from my own belongings, gold and silver for the temple of my God, aside from those things that I have prepared for the holy shrine:

4 three thousand talents of gold, from the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of highly-refined silver, for the gilding of the walls of the temple;

5 and gold for wherever there is need of gold, and silver for wherever there is need of silver, for the works to be done by the hands of the artisans. And if anyone freely offers, let him fill his hand this day, and let him offer whatever he wishes to the Lord.”

6 And so the leaders of the families, and the nobles of the tribes of Israel, as well as the tribunes and the centurions and the overseers of the king’s possessions, promised

7 and gave, for the works of the house of the Lord, five thousand talents and ten thousand pieces of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, and eighteen thousand talents of brass, and also one hundred thousand talents of iron.

8 And whoever found precious stones among their belongings gave them to the treasuries of the house of the Lord, by the hand of Jehiel the Gershonite.

9 And the people rejoiced, since they were promising their votive offerings willingly. For they were offering these to the Lord with all their heart. And king David also rejoiced with great gladness.

10 And he blessed the Lord before the entire multitude, and he said: “Blessed are you, O Lord God of Israel, our Father from eternity to eternity.

11 Yours, O Lord, is magnificence and power and glory, and also victory; and to you is praise. For all the things that are in heaven and on earth are yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are above all rulers.

12 Yours is wealth, and yours is glory. You have dominion over all things. In your hand is virtue and power. In your hand is greatness and authority over all things.

13 Now therefore, we confess to you, our God, and we praise your famous name.

14 Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to promise all these things to you? All is yours. And so the things that we received from your hand, we have given to you.

15 For we are sojourners and new arrivals before you, as all our fathers were. Our days upon the earth are like a shadow, and there is no delay.

16 O Lord our God, all this abundance, which we have prepared so that a house may be built to your holy name, is from your hand, and all things are yours.

17 I know, my God, that you test hearts, and that you love simplicity. Therefore, in the simplicity of my heart, I also have offered all these things joyfully. And I have seen, with immense gladness, your people, who have been found here, offering their donations to you.

18 O Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham and Isaac and Israel, preserve unto eternity this desire of their heart, and let this purpose remain forever, for the worship of you.

19 Also, I give to my son Solomon a perfect heart, so that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your ceremonies, and so that he may accomplish all things, and may build the temple, for which I have prepared the expenses.”

20 Then David instructed the entire assembly: “Bless the Lord our God.” And the entire assembly blessed the Lord, the God of their fathers. And they bowed themselves, and they adored God, and next they reverenced the king.

21 And they immolated victims to the Lord. And they offered holocausts on the following day: one thousand bulls, one thousand rams, one thousand lambs, with their libations and with every ritual, very abundantly, for all of Israel.

22 And they ate and drank before the Lord on that day, with great rejoicing. And they anointed Solomon, the son of David, a second time. And they anointed him to the Lord as the ruler, and Zadok as the high priest.

23 And Solomon sat upon the throne of the Lord as king, in place of his father David, and it pleased everyone. And all of Israel obeyed him.

24 Moreover, all the leaders, and the powerful, and all the sons of king David pledged with their hand, and they became subject to king Solomon.

25 Then the Lord magnified Solomon over all of Israel. And he gave to him a glorious reign, of a kind such as no one has had before him, as king of Israel.

26 Now David, the son of Jesse, reigned over all of Israel.

27 And the days during which he reigned over Israel were forty years. He reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.

28 And he died at a good old age, full of days and wealth and glory. And his son Solomon reigned in his place.

29 Now the acts of king David, from the first to the last, have been written in the book of Samuel the seer, and in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer,

30 concerning his entire reign and strength, and the times that passed under him, both in Israel and in all the kingdoms of the lands.